Fast track to Super stardom
DJR Team Penske’s Ryan Story has lifted the lid on the Kiwi Scott McLaughlin’s incredible season. David Long reports.
As New Zealand’s Scott McLaughlin closes in on back-to-back Supercars titles, his talent continues to stand out.
At Pukekohe next weekend, he’ll attempt to break the record he jointly holds with Craig Lowndes and pick up his 17th win of the season.
He’s on target to record the best ever season in the history of the category and further cement his status as one of New Zealand’s greatest ever motor racing drivers.
But why is he so good? It’s not just because his DJR Team Penske Ford Mustang is incredibly fast.
The man who knows the answer to this more than anyone is the managing director, co-owner and co-founder of DJR Team Penske, Ryan Story.
Story is the man who saw the potential McLaughlin had at his previous team, Garry Rogers Motorsport, and knew that with him on board and securing Ludo Lacroix from Triple Eight as his engineer, they could become the No 1 team in Supercars.
Yes, McLaughlin has the talent, but Story says the 26-year-old also puts in the hard work.
‘‘What makes him so good is that he’s an absolute grafter,’’ Story
told Stuff. ‘‘He spent a couple of years in the development series before he had his opportunity in the main game and he just worked at it.
‘‘What’s quite telling when you look at Scott as a driver has been his performances in qualifying.
‘‘He has an extraordinary qualifying record. He is the second most successful of all time in pole positions (61). Second only to Jamie Whincup (80), who’s been doing it a lot longer than he has.
‘‘His ability to focus, dig deep and find something else from himself and often outperform the car is something I’ve never seen before and guys like Dick Johnson, who’ve been doing this for over 50 years, has never seen before.
‘‘It’s a real testament to his skill and ability that he keeps getting better at it.
‘‘Were you to ask him, he’d tell you he gets nervous about doing a shootout lap, but he’s one of the best at them. He just manages to dig deep and really deliver.’’
McLaughlin recently said that a couple years ago he was at his peak as a driver, but he now realises that he wasn’t and still isn’t.
That comment shows McLaughlin isn’t complacent, is maturing and wants to improve.
‘‘He’s not at his peak yet and that’s the most remarkable thing about the success he’s had in the last 21⁄2 seasons,’’ Story said.
‘‘Traditionally in Supercars, drivers don’t reach their peak until they’re in their early 30s.
‘‘That’s usually when they’ve got the race experience, the race craft and the raw speed is just starting to get to the point where bravery is equal with experience.
‘‘So you’re taking less risks, you’re smarter with your position in the car on the race track, but you’ve got the raw speed to get it done in qualifying.’’
McLaughlin has been saying for a few years that one day he’d like to try his hand at Nascar in America, but wouldn’t want to go until he’s achieved all he wanted to in Supercars.
The day he leaves Supercars is getting closer, especially if he wins Bathurst this year.
Story says it’s understandable that McLaughlin will want to move on. ‘‘It’s a natural human instinct to have ambition and you only need to look at our team name, DJR Team Penske,’’ he said.
‘‘Team Penske have been racing for 53 years, Roger Penske is an icon of the transportation industry and motorsport.
‘‘Team Penske’s operations in the States extend through Indy Car, where Roger has won 18 Indianapolis 500s, Nascar and where Joey Logano won the championship last year.
‘‘It’s natural to have that appetite and ambition for whatever the next thing is. Opportunities will come for him, I’ve no doubt about that.
‘‘But there’s unfinished business here, there’s a job to be done and he’s paid to race Supercars.
‘‘It’s no different to Team Penske’s Indy Car and Nascar drivers having ambitions to do the Bathurst 1000.
‘‘But it’s the sort of thing that will only happen when it’s the right time, right for the team, right for the partners and the drivers are ready for it.
‘‘So what that looks like and when that day comes, I honestly don’t know, but I’m sure that if an opportunity comes up, it will be because it’s the right time and will be in competitive equipment.
‘‘But there’s no doubt in my mind that when it happens, he will make the most of it.’’